
Justice Varma Cash Row: Govt Moves To Build Consensus On Removal Motion, Signature Drive Soon
The government has begun reaching out to key political parties to build consensus on initiating a removal motion against Justice Yashwant Varma, sources told News18. The move comes in the wake of an in-house committee report that reportedly indicted the Delhi High Court judge over the alleged discovery of unaccounted cash at his residence following a fire incident on March 14. A formal process to collect signatures from MPs to move the motion in Parliament is likely to begin next week, senior officials said.
While the term 'impeachment" is technically reserved for the removal of a President, the procedure for removing a High Court judge involves a similar process under Article 217 read with Article 124(4) of the Constitution. According to sources, the government will follow the established legal framework and initiate the next steps accordingly. A formal committee will be constituted once the requisite number of signatures from Members of Parliament is obtained to move the motion in either House.
According to sources, VP Jagdeep Dhankhar, too, is likely to give a ruling in the case soon.
Panel Report Calls for Resignation
The in-house panel, comprising Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Sheel Nagu, Himachal Pradesh Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia, and Karnataka High Court's Justice Anu Sivaraman, submitted its findings to Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna on May 4. The committee was formed on March 25, days after firefighters allegedly stumbled upon large sums of unaccounted cash while responding to a fire at Justice Varma's Delhi home.
Sources cited in a Bar & Bench report said the findings of the committee were damning and recommended that Justice Varma be given the option to resign immediately. If he refuses, the report will be forwarded to the President of India, triggering the formal process for judicial removal.
This development marks a rare and serious moment for the Indian judiciary, with the government now poised to initiate one of the most stringent constitutional processes available for judicial accountability.
First Published:
July 03, 2025, 12:14 IST

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